As the nation celebrates Mother's Day today, Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut on Saturday dedicated a beautiful poem for her mother, Asha Ranaut. The poem was shared by Kananga's official team on Instagram. The poem began with lines that read: "I'm your longing for life. When I first arose in your young heart...Your eyes gleamed with hope."

 

 

 

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#KanganaRanaut pens down this beautiful poem on the account of Mother's Day. Here, she dedicates some beautiful words as gift to her mother and all the mothers in the world. Happy Mother's Day. ♥ï¸Â . . . #mothersday #happymothersday

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onMay 9, 2020 at 7:53am PDT

The 33-year-old actor wrote about the "love and warmth" she saw nowhere else but only in her mother. "And then I went to my own heart, I found you, mother, I found you there....You arise in my heart...as a desire...as a longing for life...I'm your longing for life," the lines read.

In another post, the team shared a picture of the mother-daughter duo, beaming with smiles.

 

 

 

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They say a mother understands what a child does not say, today let's tell them out loud. Let's make #MothersDay extra special for our mothers by telling them what's in our hearts!! ♥️🤗🤰

A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@team_kangana_ranaut) onMay 9, 2020 at 9:11am PDT

Born and brought up in Himachal Pradesh, the 'Panga' actor has been spending quality time with her family in Manali ever since the COVID-19 induced lockdown was imposed in the country.

Though she does not have a social media profile of her own, her team keeps her fans well posted about updates from her personal and professional life on social media.

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Baahubali sensation Prabhas's next is KK Radha Krishna Kumar's film, co-starring Pooja Hegde, Just before the lockdown was announced, the unit was shooting in Georgia for the love story. On Friday, May 8, Kumar shared snapshots from the set, which have gone viral on social media. Not content with the pictures, the South star's fans want the makers to announce the title and unveil the teaser.

Have a look at one of the posts right here that gave us a glimpse of the shooting experience of the crew:

10 degrees cold, pouring rain and corona virus threat. Nothing stops the spirit of crew. #Prabhas20 pic.twitter.com/8i5v0vSQeo

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) March 14, 2020

The film, as it is being reported, is tentatively titled Prabhas 20, since this biggie marks the 20th film of the actor. However, no confirmation about the same has been made yet. Taking to his Twitter account, he shared some pictures from the opening ceremony of the film.

Have a look right here:

Here is a glimpse of our darling from the opening ceremony of #prabhas20 #StayHomeStaySafe pic.twitter.com/uWfijGhulf

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) May 8, 2020

And here were some more of them:

And some more pic.twitter.com/6cP7UfDNjD

— Radha Krishna Kumar (@director_radhaa) May 8, 2020

The shooting has been going for almost a year now and fans are desperately waiting for their Darling Prabhas, as he's fondly called, to announce the official title and also release the teaser quickly. Prabhas has been one of the biggest stars in the Telugu industry ever since he began his journey as an actor. In the North, he became a sensation after the historic and humongous success of Baahubali: The Beginning and Conclusion.

It's nothing but the testimony of his star-power that Saaho, despite mixed reviews from critics, smashed multiple box-office records and went on to become a major success. Now we all have to wait and watch how much hysteria this film generates at the ticket windows

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Jacqueline Fernandez has stumbled upon life-altering realisations amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The actress says she has realised that life is too short, and it is important to make the most of the time we have in our hands.

"Honestly, the biggest lesson has been that when it comes to humankind we are pretty irrelevant, which means that we are extremely blessed to be on this planet because the planet would go on with us or without us. So, we have to be grateful and give back. That's the realisation -- we take Earth for granted," Jacqueline said, while reflecting upon how the lockdown has been a learning period for her.

"(Another lesson is that) life is short. We need to be doing things that we enjoy doing and love. We should be spending time with the people we love because you are here one day and gone the next. We really have to make the most out of life. It is such a lesson. These are the two main things I have realised during this period," added the actress, who is spending her lockdown with superstar Salman Khan and others at his farmhouse in Panvel.

Amid the shutdown, she is making the most of her time by enjoying moments like horse-riding, basking in the sun and reading a book -- evident in her recent Instagram posts.

On the work front, she was recently seen in "Mrs. Serial Killer", which released on Netflix on May 1. "Mrs. Serial Killer" is directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his filmmaker wife Farah Khan. The thriller is about a wife, whose husband has been framed and imprisoned for serial murders. She needs to perform a murder exactly like the serial killer, to prove that her husband is innocent.

The film hinges on the question -- how far would you go for love.

Asked how far she would go for the people she loves, Jacqueline said: "I always think that when it comes to people you love, you kind of throw logic out of the window. But I am someone who is all about making sure that you are doing the right thing.

"It has to be the right thing. I always try to put that into perspective. If I feel a right thing is being done, then I will probably go to whatever extent I need to. I would never harm anyone though for love. I would do anything for love except harm anyone," said the actress, who won Miss Sri Lanka beauty pageant in 2006.

She made her debut in the Indian film industry with 2009 film "Aladin" opposite actor Riteish Deshmukh. The film turned out to be a dud at the box office, but Jacqueline got noticed and went on to do films like "Housefull 2", "Murder 2", "Kick", "Brothers", "Dishoom" and "Judwaa 2". "Mrs. Serial Killer" also stars Manoj Bajpayee and Mohit Raina.

Recalling the experience of working on the thriller, Jacqueline said: "It was great. They were so patient, kind and very supportive. There was a beautiful sense of unity and teamwork, and you learn so much from working with such amazing actors. It was really a beautiful experience."

Now, she is looking forward to the release of the song "Tere bina" with Salman, which they have shot amid the lockdown in the farm premises itself.

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Actor Jake Gyllenhaal says he has become less interested in work and more interested in personal life, adding that he hopes to have kids in the future.

In an interview with British Vogue, the actor, who has been part of showbiz since the last two decades, shared that he is now ready to focus on his personal life, reports etonline.com.

"I'm interested in my life, even more so than my work. I've reached a point in my career where I feel hungry in a different way," said Gyllenhaal, adding: "I've seen how much of my life I've neglected as a result of being committed to that work and that idea."

"(I've) lightened up. Seeing life as something that is, you know, fleeting, and the world being as it is now. I've turned to my family, I've turned to my friends and I've turned to love. I'm a little less interested in the work, I would say, and more interested in that," said the 39-year-old star, known for starring in movies like "Donnie Darko", "Brokeback Mountain", "Nightcrawler" and "Spider-Man: Far From Home".

Gyllenhaal, who has been romantically linked to French model Jeanne Cadieu in the past few years, shared that he "definitely" sees kids in his future.

"Yes, of course I do. I definitely do," he said, adding: "The act of making love to make a child…the real thing is life. You get to the end of the show and that's what it's about. Children. Children and art."

He continued: "I'm not someone who has ever existed in a space where I've really known what's coming next. But you do have to be open to it. And there has been no other time in my life that I can safely say…. My mother and my sister are some of the most extraordinary people I know. Our vulnerability with each other, our ability to communicate about how tough times can be is what I'm most proud of in my family. For everything I hope to pass on, that's the most important."

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Actress Mackenzie Foy found a friend in her "The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" co-star Keira Knightley, and says she is a nice and down-to-earth person. "Keira is just amazing. I've really enjoyed working with her. She is such a nice, down to earth person. You can literally talk to her about anything and she would just listen and be a good friend," Foy said.

Asked about her favourite moment working with her, Foy said: "I don't know. We have spent a lot of time together but I think pretty much when we could just relax on the set and we could just sit and talk about nonsense. It was really fun just to get to know her."

"The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" is the retelling of ETA Hoffmann''s short story "The Nutcracker And The Mouse King" and Marius Petipa's and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker". It's a story of a young girl who gets a locked egg as a gift from her deceased mother, and narrates her magical journey to get the key for the egg.

"The Nutcracker And The Four Realms" will air in India on Star Movies on May 10.

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Gauri Pradhan is proud of sister Geetanjali Pradhan who is a doctor and one of the frontline Coronavirus warriors. She also doffs her hat to all the medical professionals fighting the pandemic. Gauri's actor husband Hiten Tejwani has also lauded Geetanjali's accomplishments.

Taking to her Instagram account, Gauri even shared a post and hailed her baby sister's efforts in fighting the pandemic. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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So proud of my baby sister!And so proud of everyone else who’s doing the same!! #drgeetanjalipradhan #fightagainstcorona #lockdown

A post shared by Gauri (@gpradhan) onMay 7, 2020 at 12:03pm PDT

Miss you, ma

Vikas Sethi is missing his mother Suraksha who is stuck in Ludhiana. She was visiting relatives when the lockdown was announced. As she is a heart patient, it is a cause of worry for him. It's his birthday on May 12, so her absence will be felt even more on his big day. Sethi is waiting for her to return. He will welcome her back home with a tub of her favourite ice cream. It's very unfortunate that there are so many TV and Bollywood actors that are not able to meet their mothers due to the nationwide lockdown.

We guess once the lockdown ends and life comes back to normal, the first thing on the cards for all these actors would be an emotional and a long-overdue reunion with their mothers and their entire family. We only wait for that day and hope it comes soon!

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Kriti Sanon has given a shoutout on social media to all the 'wonder women' who are balancing their roles as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, and employees. The actor has reminded them that 'me-time' is also necessary. "Let's indulge in the things that bring us joy," she stated on Insta. "Womanhood must be celebrated without compromise," she added. Later, sister Nupur took to social media and wrote that the Sanon women, including mother Geeta and pet dog Phoebe, 'are kind of dominating'. They certainly know how to get what they want. Some life lessons during the lockdown.

For all those who think women are not less than Superheroes, this video is a must-watch and much-needed. Have a look right here:

 

 

 

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In the current scenario, with all of us cooped up at home - here is my shout out to all the wonder women out there. 🙋‍♀️ As we get through our responsibilities as mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, employees - let's not compromise with some 'me time'. Let's indulge in the things that bring us joy! 🌸 @vivelbyitc and I take a stand for the philosophy of #AbSamjhautaNahin and believe that womanhood must be celebrated without compromise. Hope you do too!

A post shared by Kriti (@kritisanon) onMay 8, 2020 at 3:16am PDT

All the fans of Sanon will surely be happy and elated to see this video that finally puts the women in the spotlight and allows them to have their moment of glory. They truly are the unsung heroes that ought to be celebrated a lot more. Coming to Sanon again, she had a wonderful 2019 with the success of Luka Chuppi and Housefull 4.

And now, she's gearing up for another biggie, Bachchan Pandey with Akshay Kumar that's being helmed by Farhad Samji. It's slated to release on January 22, 2021!

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In the fight against COVID-19, Uber has extended support by offering free rides to frontline BMC healthcare workers and non-COVID patients in Mumbai through its recently launched UberMedic service.

All UberMedic cars are fitted with a roof-to-floor plastic sheeting enclosing the driver. Additionally, all drivers are being trained in safety procedures and provided with personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, sanitisers and disinfectants to sanitise the cars between rides.

The agreement is part of Uber’s recent offer to provide free rides worth Rs 1 crore to the Maharashtra government. Prabhjeet Singh, Director, Operations and Head of Cities, Uber India & South Asia, said, “The BMC has been working tirelessly to contain the spread of COVID-19. We feel privileged to be supporting them in these challenging times and will help move what matters by leveraging our global experience, technology and network of drivers.”

Uber’s recently launched UberMedic service has been transporting frontline medical workers in 35+ hospitals across 23 Indian cities.

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I just remembered my absolutely ouch! Irrfan moment, that makes me cringe each time I recall it. One of the relatively early big film programmes I curated was Made by Women, an international women's film festival, way back in 2004. We screened great films, mostly 35mm prints, directed by women filmmakers from all over the world. They ranged from Marziyeh Meshkiny's The Day I Became a Woman (Iran), Anne Fontaine's How I Killed My Father (France) to Ligy Pullappally's Sancharram (India) and Joan Gratz's Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (animation, USA). We opened with Aparna Sen's beloved classic 36 Chowringhee Lane at the YB Chavan Centre (remember it?). Bishakha Datta, who heads Point of View, a non-profit that amplifies women's voices and had organised the event, was Festival Director.

Sen had flown in for the inauguration from Kolkata, ever elegant. Irfan Khan (the second 'r' hadn't rolled in yet) had very kindly agreed to be special guest at the inaugural. A huge crowd had turned up, and we let them in. My colleagues escorted Sen in, while I remained outside waiting for Irfan, who unfortunately had been held up in traffic, and arrived later than planned. When I escorted him in, the hall was pitch dark. I realised to my horror, that Sen had inaugurated the festival alone and, as the crowd had got restless, the screening had begun. Eeks! I apologised profusely to Irfan, and escorted him to the reserved VIP row, only to find that the enthu crowd had ripped the 'reserved' seat signs and occupied every seat in the house; many were even sitting in the aisles.

Crouching and whispering, I cravenly begged a series of people in the audience to give up their seat for Irfan, but they were engrossed in the film. Seeing I was in big trouble, Irfan graciously whispered, "Don't worry, Meenakshi, I'll sit on the carpet." "No, NO! Please give me a moment," I yelped. Finally, I managed to persuade someone to give up his seat for Irfan in the front row. Double eeks! From there, Irfan watched 36 Chowringhee Lane, at a 60 degree angle. Life-long, I could never live down the humiliation of being unable to treat Irfan as the star he truly was. But, Irfan was so incredibly decent about it—which made me feel even worse. He quietly vanished as the film ended, and when I phoned him to apologise, he gently brushed aside my apology and discussed what a marvellous film it was.

The episode taught me two things: if you show a great Indian film for the inaugural of an international film festival, the public will come, even if it is a 20-year-old film. Second, a great film can turn even a star into a fan. Yet, I can think of no other star who would behave with such extraordinary humility and grace, as Irfan did that evening. The festival was a great success in Mumbai, and did an all-India tour of eight cities in 2004. In fact, I curated another edition of Made by Women in 2005, with an all-India tour as well.

Adieu, Irrfan!

Meenakshi Shedde is India and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin International Film Festival, National Award-winning critic, curator to festivals worldwide and journalist. Reach her at meenakshi.shedde@mid-day.com

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A two-week course of antiviral therapy that combines the power of three drugs has shown promise in treating hospitalised patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 in a carefully undertaken phase 2 clinical trial.

The results of the trial, published in the journal The Lancet, involved 127 adults from six public hospitals in Hong Kong.

The drug combination tested in the trial included interferon beta-1b, which was developed to treat multiple sclerosis (MS), and lopinavir-ritonavir, which is normally used to treat HIV and ribavirin, an oral hepatitis C virus drug.

The findings of the phase two trial provided evidence that early treatment with triple antiviral therapy alongside standard care is safe and shortens duration of viral shedding (when the virus is detectable and potentially transmissible) compared to lopinavir-ritonavir alone—average seven days vs 12 days—in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.

"Our trial demonstrates that early treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 with a triple combination of antiviral drugs may rapidly suppress the amount of virus in a patient's body, relieve symptoms, and reduce the risk to healthcare workers by reducing the duration and quantity of viral shedding," said professor Kwok-Yung Yuen from the University of Hong Kong who led the research.

No new cases in Hong Kong as restrictions ease

Hong Kong recorded no new COVID-19 case on Saturday, a day after the city eased restrictions. Saturday was also the 20th day in a row with no local infections. Health experts earlier suggested that Hong Kong could be considered to be free of local transmission if there were no such cases after 28 days.

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The Chaturmukha Vishnu is a very rare form of Vishnu once worshipped in Kashmir from the 8th and 9th century, when it was an important centre of Hinduism. The image shows Vishnu with four heads. Three clear faces are those of Vishnu, the Narasimha or the lion face, and the face of the Varaha avatar. The fourth face varies according to scriptures. Different scriptures describe the fourth head as either a demonic face, or the face of Kapila, or the face of Lakshmi, or even Hayagriva, the horse. In artwork, sometimes, the fourth head is absent and only the other three heads are shown.

This form of Vishnu has not four, but eight arms. Four arms hold the traditional conch shell, discus, mace and lotus flower. The other four hands hold a bow, an arrow, a sword and a shield. Sometimes, the image just has four arms. The gada (mace) is replaced with the gadanari or it is personified as a woman. The chakra is replaced by the chakrapurusha, a wheel embodied as a man.

In the post-Gupta period, we find importance given to Vishnu's weapons, symbolised in anthropomorphic forms. The gadanari is not very popular. In South Indian temples, we find many images of the Chakrapurusha, also known as Sudarshan. The vahana or the mount depicted is Garuda. He is sometimes accompanied by Lakshmi. There is no specific story associated with it. As Hinduism waned from Kashmir, this image died out and did not become popular.

In the Gupta period, imperial lines and dynasties associated themselves with Hinduism and Vishnu. Great value was given to the 'dominating and aggressive' forms of Narasimha and Varaha. Today, however, greater value is placed on the 'bhakti' forms of Ram and Krishna, whose stories are told in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Only in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, we find temples of Narasimha and Varaha.

There is no clear story about why Vishnu has four heads. In some places, Vishnu has only three, Brahma has four, and Shiva has five heads to show their relative power. The four heads may link to Vishnu being identified as Krishna, his brother, Balarama, his son, Pradyumna and his grandson, Aniruddha.

The only place, outside of Kashmir, where this image is found, is in Khajuraho, built in the tenth century. The Lakshman temple in Khajuraho has an image of Vishnu Vaikuntha. Here, he has three heads and four hands. The only legend associated with this image is that of the creation of a monster, with the head of a lion and a wild boar. He was told that when another creature who looked exactly like him appeared, he would be destroyed. This is why Vishnu took this form to destroy it.

Today, nobody worships this Vaikuntha form of Vishnu.

In many ways, the image connects royalty to the boar and the lion, symbols of aggression and domination. The hidden face represents the aspect of kingship that will always remain hidden from the public.

Devdutt Pattanaik writes and lectures on the relevance of mythology in modern times. Reach him at devdutt.pattanaik@mid-day.com

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The city might miss seeing Lord Ganesh in his full glory this year, as work on the gigantic idols, which usually adorn the biggest and richest pandals during Ganesh Chaturthi, has taken a big hit due to the Coronavirus outbreak and the resulting lockdown. Sculptors, who usually start work in May for the annual festival that will be celebrated on August 22 this year, have been forced to put all orders on hold, as raw materials aren't available, and most of the artisans are stuck in their hometowns. The government too, hasn't given permission to begin work. With the lockdown extended till May 17, the sculptors say that mandals might have to settle for scaled-down versions of the idol.

Mumbai has over 10,000 sarvajanik Ganesh mandals. To ensure that the idols are delivered on time, sculptors start work three months in advance, first making the pattern, a rough model, which is then corrected with welding at the workshops. Another 20 days are invested in painting the idol, and giving it the final touches. Mandals usually accept delivery of the idols 10 days before the festival begins.

A Ganesh idol-making workshop at Chinchpokli, where work otherwise begins in May, is currently shut due to the lockdown

With the way the situation has panned out till now, work is unlikely to begin before July. This will leave sculptors with just about a month to complete work. Reshma Khatu, daughter of late sculptor Vijay Khatu, says, "Currently, we have put all the orders and planning on hold and are awaiting the government's decision. The crisis doesn't seem to be nearing an end. We do not want to put our workers at risk. Even if one person is detected COVID-19 positive, work will go for a toss and the entire workshop will be sealed."

The other problem is that at least 70 per cent of the workers employed, hail from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They work in Maharashtra during May to October. Vijay Kumar Soni, hails from Patna, but is currently stuck in Konkan, where he and his employer Rajan Zaad, have been working on rough designs. "We came here in March, and hence could begin work. Some of the dyes are ready, and we hope to get started on the idols when we return to Mumbai. But, I am not sure if the other workers from Patna will be able to make it on time." Zaad, who is a sculptor from Lalbaug, says that he will be requesting the mandals to accept smaller-sized idols.

Sculptor Rajan Zaad says he intends to request mandals to have smaller-sized idols this year

The raw materials for making the larger idols come from Rajasthan and Kerala, while shadu—a kind of clay used for the sculpture—comes from Gujarat. But transportation has taken the biggest hit, and state borders are sealed.

Ankush Kambli, a sculptor from Parel village, says he has started work from home with the help of his family members but is running out of raw materials. Ditching the ubiquitous plaster of Paris, he has decided to use only shadu. "There is no clarity, if we will be able to get back to our routines of working from a workshop. We understand that there is the need for social distancing and that is the sole reason why we are working from home."

Reshma Khatu

The Brihanmumbai Murtikar Samanvay Samiti, an umbrella body of Ganpati sculptors, has decided to share their concerns with the government. Gajanan Tondvalkar, president of the samiti, and a sculptor in Naigaon, Dadar, says, "We will request the government to help ensure transportation of raw materials, so that we can work from home, at least."

Meanwhile, the city's Ganesh mandals, have decided to put discussions about the festivities on hold. Sudhir Salvi, secretary of Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal, says, "Calls that need to be taken regarding the celebrations will be done once the Coronavirus situation is under control." The secretary of Lalbaug Sarvajanik Utsav Mandal, popularly known as Ganesh Galli Ganpati, Swapnil Parab, says the committee is yet to take a decision and will honour the government's directive.

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A Colombian advertising company is pitching a novel if morbid solution to shortages of hospital beds and coffins during the coronavirus pandemic: combine them.

ABC Displays has created a cardboard bed with metal railings that designers say can double as a casket if a patient dies. Company manager Rodolfo Gómez said he was inspired to find a way to help after watching events unfold recently in nearby Ecuador.

Families in the coastal city of Guayaquil waited with dead loved ones in their homes for days last month as COVID-19 cases surged. Many could not find or were unable to afford a wood coffin, using donated cardboard ones instead. Gómez said he plans to donate 10 of his new beds to Colombia's Amazonas department, where resources are in short supply. So far there is no indication whether the beds will be put to use and no orders have been placed.

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A day after being unceremoniously transferred from the BMC chief's office, senior bureaucrat Praveen Pardeshi proceeded on a 14-day leave, instead of taking charge of the Urban Development Department at Mantralaya.

Sources said he applied for leave because his father is unwell and his wife is self-isolating herself, after having returned from London, where she works with an international organisation. Apart from the Urban Development Department, Pardeshi has also been asked to head the water resources department.

According to sources, the celebrated disaster management expert is also upset with the turn of events. He had been in the run for the Chief Secretary's post.

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A 24-year-old man has been arrested for attacking two police officers and a constable, who were on nakabandi duty at Marine Drive in the early hours of Saturday.

According to the police, the Marine Drive police had set up nakabandi at the Mafatlal Bath junction, near Chowpatty on Friday night. At around 1.30 am, cops noticed a person walking with a chopper in his hand. When the police tried to stop him, he fled. The police finally apprehended him near SK Patil Udyan, near Charni Road. A scuffle ensued, and the man attacked the cops with his chopper.

The weapon used to attack the cops

Three policemen, Police Inspector Jitendra Kadam, Police Sub-inspector Sachin Shelke and Constable Sagar Shelke, were injured in the attack, and were admitted to JJ Hospital. The cops have suffered injuries to their shoulders and hands.

The accused has been identified as Karan Pradeep Nair, a resident of Silver Oak Estate in Cumballa Hill.

Sources said that Nair is a graduate in architecture, but is unemployed. He lives with his mother, a retired clerk with Air India, and a younger sister. "Initial investigations have revealed that Nair was a drug addict. He had a heated argument with his mother before leaving the house on Friday night. He was so angry that while walking out, he grabbed a chopper and told her that he would not spare anyone who came in front of him."

When contacted, Sangram Singh Nishandar, DCP (Zone 1), said, "He has been arrested, and investigations are on." Nair has been booked under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and various sections of the IPC.

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Akash Kamble fell in love when he was a little boy. And once he set eyes on her languid, unending, lithe body, he was hooked.

His mother would take him along on the Mumbai local, from Bhayandar to Charni Road every day, so that her in-laws could babysit while she finished a day's work at her Fort office. Travelling in the train, watching it fly past through the window grill, had Kamble realise he loved trains deeply enough to work around them.

To acquire the weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, Kamble uses candle light against the aluminium sheets

"I would observe them carefully during the commute and went on to make my first cardboard train model of a two-coach local when I was in Class VIII," says Kamble, 23, who is a mechanical engineer and holds the job of a Station Master with the Mumbai Monorail.

The rail model enthusiast thought the lockdown was the perfect opportunity to wrap up a few more models. He has, in the last five weeks, made 11 models of hi-class trains, from locomotives to local coaches.

"I first started with cardboard and foam-based train and engine models, but later moved to working with aluminium. My research involves reading about trains, their specifications and poring over their drawings. I make models of 1:35 scale, realistic and a perfect match [to the original]. The continuous involvement slowly leads to perfection," says Kamble, a resident of Ambernath, adding, "I have made a model of the most powerful green coloured WAG-9 electric locomotive and two coaches of the Garib Rath train. Besides this, one of my favourites is the diesel locomotive, a few coaches of the Mumbai local and a mail express."

He has also found the time to give finishing touches to earlier models, giving them a realistic feel. To acquire a weather beaten look of a diesel locomotive, he uses candle light against the aluminium sheets.

In 2019, Kamble joined what he calls his dream job. And, next on his agenda is to make a "replica of my employer". He has acquired drawings and technical specifications of the Mumbai Monorail and hopes to complete the project before the city chugs back to normal.

1:35
The ratio scale to which the mechanical engineer makes his models

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A day after the new BMC chief Iqbal Chahal took over, he spent the day visiting Nair Hospital, which is a designated facility for COVID-19 patients, and Dharavi which has the highest concentration of positive cases in the city. Apart from taking stock of the situation at both places, Chahal also had discussions with the hospital staff, patients as well as residents of Dharavi.

Chahal visited the Nair premises on Saturday morning, accompanied by Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani and hospital dean Dr Mohan Joshi. Chahal also interacted with the doctors and nurses about the issues they are facing, and told them that they could raise their concerns with him. "He wore a PPE and also visited the wards and met with patients to inquire about their health. The purpose of the visit was to understand the ground realities and also take feedback from the staff.

Chahal took stock of the community toilets in Dharavi. Pic/Suresh Karkera

He has asked the hospital staff to approach him with any requirements," said Dr Gautam Bhansali, consultant physician with Bombay Hospital who accompanied Chahal. After Nair Hospital, Chahal visited Mukund Nagar in Dharavi. He also took a round of the community toilets. He asked the ward officials to ensure that the toilets have a steady supply of handwash and that they are cleaned regularly.

He directed the ward officials to take up contact tracing more comprehensively. "The commissioner has asked for the total number of people, who tested positive from dense slum pockets and those who lived in residential buildings. He wanted to understand the ratio of patients who have tested positive from both areas. He has also asked us to identify more high-risk patients and place them under quarantine," said an official.

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Air India's first evacuation flight with 326 Indians from London landed at Mumbai Airport on Sunday. According to Indian high commission in the UK, the flight took off from London on Saturday on board 326 people. It landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. On Monday, India announced had that it will begin phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

The government said that Air India will operate 64 flights in the first week from May 7 to May 13 to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals.

On day three of the 'Vande Bharat Mission', flights carrying Indians from the Gulf countries, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Malaysia arrived in India.

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Mumbai Police on Sunday informed about the death of assistant sub-inspector (ASI) attached to the Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station and said he was battling coronavirus. "Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASI Sunil Dattatray Kalgutkar from Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station. ASI Kalgutkar had been battling Coronavirus. We pray for his soul to rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kalgutkar family," Mumbai police tweeted on Sunday.

Mumbai Police regrets to inform about the unfortunate demise of ASI Sunil Dattatray Kalgutkar from Vinoba Bhave Nagar Police Station. ASI Kalgutkar had been battling Coronavirus.

We pray for his soul to rest in peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kalgutkar family.

— Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) May 9, 2020

The number of COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra has risen to 20,228 with 1,165 new cases reported on Saturday, state Public Health Department said. According to the official media bulletin, 48 deaths were reported due to the infection from the state on Saturday.

The number of COVID-19 patients discharged after full recovery from the disease reached 3,800 with 330 patients discharged yesterday.

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The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Sunday informed that few people were feared to be trapped under the debris after a wall of a house collapsed in Kandivali (West) area of Mumbai. According to NDRF, so far three people have been rescued.

"Four to five people possibly trapped after wall of a house collapsed in Kandivali (West) area of Mumbai. 3 people rescued till now," the NDRF said.

A rescue operation is underway at the mishap site.

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In a shocking incident, a 14-year-old boy has been booked for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl in the Ghatampur area of the district, police said. The accused and the victim belong to the same village. Circle Officer Ghatampur, Ravi Kumar Singh, said, "The accused will be sent to a juvenile correction home after being produced before a magistrate on Sunday."

The officer said that the girl had gone for cattle grazing near the Rindh river on Friday afternoon where the boy caught hold of the girl and raped her. The girl returned home and narrated her ordeal to family members, who informed the local police. The police sent the girl to a hospital for medical examination and after the report confirmed rape, the police took the boy into custody.

The boy was also severely thrashed by the family of the victim and the villagers.

"A case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) has been registered," said the circle officer.

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All category MSEDCL consumers including the residential and CHS (Co-operative Housing society) consumers having bill amount 10,000 & above can now avail the facility of RTGS and NEFT along with the online bill payment options.

The MSEDCL consumers primarily pay their electricity bills through cheque even if the online facility is available. However, due to the corona virus pandemic, the lockdown has affected the banking transactions. Considering this situation, MSEDCL has given the option of RTGS and NEFT for consumers having a bill of 10,000 and above. Even the single and three phase residential consumers having a bill of 10,000 and above, can make payment through this system. Along with this, the consumers can make online payment through credit card, net banking, debit card, google pay, cash card, UPI, digital wallet etc.

MSEDCL is printing the bank details on the electricity bills of residential and CHS consumers whose bill is more than 10,000. These consumers can avail this facility by using the virtual account details of MSEDCL given on their bill in their RTGS and NEFT application they submit to their bank. Also, the consumer can make payment only in the account number given on their electricity bill.

Direct Link through SMS
To make payment remotely from their home, MSEDCL sends direct payment link via SMS to LT consumers. A direct payment link is being sent via SMS including the details of bill amount, due date, etc to the consumers who have registered their mobile number with MSEDCL. The consumer can make payment using this link. The consumers who have not yet registered their mobile number with MSEDCL can send a SMS through that number typing MREG (space) (12-digit consumer number) to 9930399303. Apart from this, the consumer can also register by logging on to MSEDCL website i.e. www.mahadiscom.in or MSEDCL's Mahavitaran Mobile app.

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Five Air India pilots, who had undertaken cargo flights to China, have tested positive for coronavirus during the pre-flight COVID-19 test. Sources in the national carrier told ANI that all five pilots are currently asymptomatic and are based in Mumbai.

The pre-flight COVID-19 test is carried out 72 hours before the pilots are rostered for flight duties.

"All of them are asymptomatic and based in Mumbai. They had undertaken cargo flights to Guangzhou, China," sources said.

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About 94,000 people in Kerala have been affected by fever in the last one week while about 7,000 patients have been identified with mosquito-borne chikungunya

Kerala's status of having one of the best healthcare systems in India has received a severe blow in the past one year due to the outbreak of chikungunya viral fever in the state.

The Kerala Government has sanctioned funds for districts affected by the crippling Chikungunya fever in a bid to curtail the deadly virus. Chief

The Maharashtra health department Thursday said 22 cases of Chikungunya disease were confirmed in Kolhapur district of the sate. "Of the 20 villages

New Delhi, Health Minister A. Ramadoss Thursday said that all villages affected by chikungunya fever would get Rs.10,000 to prevent mosquito breeding

Nearly half the central government funds allocated to fight chikungunya last year remained unused - mostly in southern states that, ironically, were struggling

Chikungunya, a form of viral fever spread by the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, has returned to Kolkata after 44 years with at least three people here testing positive for the virus that causes the disease.

Scores of people suffering with the crippling fever, Chikungunya, have been reported from West Bengal's North 24 Pargana District. Twenty-one of the

Italy's health authorities said Wednesday they had recorded more than 160 cases of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus, in what one expert said could be the first outbreak outside the tropics.

An unnamed chikungunya-infected tourist from south India is responsible for the spread of the tropical disease in a small north Italian town, according

The first animal model of the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), linked with large-scale epidemics that spread to Italy and India in 2007 has been developed by Researchers at the Institut Pasteur and INSERM.

An Asian breed of mosquito capable of carrying the risk of a potentially fatal disease that can be passed from one person to another is poised to invade Britain.

Singer Janet Jackson has been admitted to hospital after she fell ill hours before her scheduled concert in Montreal, Canada. The 42-year-old singer got

A meningitis outbreak has killed 931 people in four West African countries since January, with most of the deaths occurring in Nigeria, the UN children's fund said Wednesday.

Scientists claim that delayed appearance of IgG3 antibodies (a naturally-acquired antibody) serves as a specific biomarker that increases the risk of the more severe form of Chikungunya.

According to a new Cornell University computer model, global travel and climate warming could be creating the right conditions for outbreaks of a new virus in this country.

A new method of vaccine creation for Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) using a technique called large scale random codon re-encoding was developed by researchers.

For the first time chikungunya, the mosquito-borne disease has spread in the western hemisphere confirms the World Health Organisation (WHO) Tuesday,

Deaths from dengue fever soared to nearly three times in Malaysia this year, compared to the same period in 2013, and a stepped-up campaign has been launched

Shayma doesn't fear militant threats and conspiracies while getting her children vaccinated with polio drops that could finally eradicate the crippling disease.

Peru reported its first cases of the chikungunya virus in two people who recently traveled to the Dominican Republic. Health ministry director Henry

Nearly 200 confirmed cases of the chikungunya virus in Puerto Rico and the first two cases of the mosquito-borne disease in Florida have been reported, say health authorities.

The first case of the mosquito-borne viral disease chikungunya has been detected in Spain. A 60-year-old man in the eastern province of Valencia,

Chikungunya and Dengue fever have been the two most distressing disease outbreaks for the past two months in Delhi NCR. By now every must be aware

Homeopathy treatment may offer a promising relief to the mosquito-borne viral disease,chikungunya. Its a form of viral fever caused by an Alpha virus

Delhi has recorded another 3,829 cases of dengue and 502 cases of chikungunya so far this year said the civic agencies on Monday. While the national